China to Gain Winter Sport Snowhow from Lapland: Beijing Sport University Orders a Degree Programme Designed by the University of Lapland and Lapland UAS

20.9.2018 10:47

The cooperation between the University of Lapland and Lapland UAS in export of education just took a major leap forward as their jointly designed degree programme entitled ”Snow and Ice Resort Management” started off at the beginning of September. The degree programme with a special emphasis on winter sports was ordered by the Beijing Sport University, and it relies strongly on the expertise of the two Lapland-based universities.

China Prepares for the 2022 Winter Olympics

The Beijing Sport University has ordered a degree programme ”Snow and Ice Resort Management”—a joint effort of the University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS). The two-year education package focuses specifically on winter sports and tourism. Thirteen students who have already completed two years of management studies at the Beijing Sport University will pursue the degree. Upon graduation, the students receive a Bachelor’s Degree from the Lapland UAS.

China will host the 2022 Winter Olympics and the country is now investing strongly in development of winter sports. Currently, a wide network for winter sports is being built, and it will be operated by management specialists, for example. The Beijing Sport University is the leader in its field in China, and, thus, it plays a major role in educating sports directors.

Unique Content Emerges through Cooperation

In recent years, one of the main objectives of the development efforts targeted at Finnish education export has been to increase exports to China. The University of Lapland and Lapland UAS, for their part, are committed to a long-term cooperation relationship with the Beijing Sport University. The cooperation agreement was entered into in November 2017 in Beijing, and in addition to education export, the cooperation will also include student, teacher and researcher exchange as well as research cooperation.

– This degree programme is the result of a long-term, goal-oriented cooperation. At the same time, it is a fine indication of the possibilities of creating something truly new and unique by combining the strengths of two universities, says Mauri Ylä-Kotola, Rector of the University of Lapland.

The content of the ”Snow and Ice Resort Management” degree programme has, to a large extent, been designed based on the wishes of the client. Course content for the management studies has been created by both universities. The core of the studies is based on the degree programme entitled Bachelor of Hospitality Management (Tourism) provided in English by the Lapland UAS. For a decade now, tourism education has been developed in cooperation between the different levels of the educational system as a part of the Multidimensional Tourism Institute.

– I am proud to be able to say that in terms of pedagogy and labour market contacts we are a pioneer in the field of tourism education. This provides an excellent foundation for producing new content, says Riitta Rissanen, Rector of the Lapland UAS.

The implementation of the degree programme involves versatile labour market cooperation in which both universities have their own role. In addition, the education package includes practical training at ski resorts and winter sport events according to the client’s wishes.